Big news…
In the latest industry news, the Academy changed its mind this week and now movies which have only streamed are able to win an Oscar. So movies which have been made for Netflix – such as Chris Hemsworth’s recently released Extraction, are in the running.
This change is in direct response to Coronavirus’s effect on movie releases and cinema closures – and it paves the way for more movies to be released directly to streaming over the next few months, rather than waiting for cinemas to reopen. So stay tuned…
What’s streaming…
Monday is the 4th of May and you know what that means – it’s Star Wars Day so May the 4th be With You!
For this special day, Disney+ will honour Star Wars fans around the world by releasing brand-new original content including the highly anticipated conclusion of Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
As well, the new eight-episode documentary series, Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, featuring Taika Waititi alongside host, Jon Favreau.
But the one many are waiting for is Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. With this movie added to Disney+ it means you can now stream the complete Skywalker saga, all from the one place for the first time.
Anna Kendrick’s new TV series, Love Life, is headed your way on Stan by the end of this month
That’s right it’s not here yet but keep an eye out for this 10-episode romantic comedy starring one of our favourites, Anna Kendrick, from the Pitch Perfect movies. The new series also stars Zoe Chao, Peter Vack and Lesley Manville.
The series is designed to be an anthology, but by season and not episode, similar to how Fargo and True Detective were structured with each season following a different story.
The critics are saying it’s the story of one person’s journey from first love to last love and all the experiences along the way that readies them for that forever person.
We’ll give you more on this closer to its release on May 27 on Stan.
Normal People may just be one of the best thing to watch right now
This series is an adaptation of Sally Rooney’s New York Times best-selling book of the same name and you can watch it on Stan now. It’s about the time-honoured topic of teenage love only it’s shown far more honestly and well, it’s about ‘normal people.’
The two leads are Connell (played by Paul Mescal) and Marianne (Cold Feet star Daisy Edgar-Jones), and we watch their relationship unfold through high school and into university.
There’s a lot to like about Normal People – including the sex scenes which are different because they give a less glamourised view without cutting down on the sensuality. In fact, sex is a huge part of the story but its not gratuitous or over sexualised – it’s just part of the story.
Normal People is streaming on Stan now.
For an upbeat comedy, try Netlix’s Never Have I Ever?
If you need something upbeat to make you smile right now (and who doesn’t?) then Netflix’s new comedy, Never Have I Ever? could be exactly what you need to watch.
With some superb writing and performances, this show will keep you interested way longer than many others. Sure, it’s about teenagers but if you have a pulse you’ll warm to these teenagers and John McEnroe adds some interest as the narrator.
Never Have I Ever is streaming now on Netflix.
Bad Education stars Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney
Australia’s own Hugh Jackman delivers some great performances and so does his co-star, Allison Janney, in the feature length film, Bad Education.
The film is inspired by the true story of a fraud scandal which erupted at a respected Long Island high school in 2002 and was described as the biggest school embezzlement case in US history.
We watch the story of Frank Tassone (Academy Award nominee Jackman), who serves as the charismatic superintendent of Roslyn’s school district. Serving alongside him is his hardworking assistant, superintendent Pamela Gluckin (Academy Award winner Janney).
Together, they reign over the Long Island school district on the verge of the nation’s top spot. But they also collude to pull off an extraordinary embezzlement crime, while maintaining order and secrecy.
This one’s worth watching, just for the performances alone.
Bad Education will stream on Foxtel NOW and FOX SHOWCASE from Sunday May 17.
This week’s movies…
This month, Foxtel Movies Greats takes a trip back in time and celebrates some iconic films including the 60-year anniversary of Psycho and Gladiator’s 20-year anniversary. Other classics screening include: M*A*S*H; The Blues Brothers; and Goodfellas.
You can watch these movies on Remember When… every Sunday night from May 3 on Foxtel Movies Greats and streaming on Foxtel NOW.